Chapter 27: The Investigation Begins

A few days had passed since the phone call from CPS, and Ashley was on edge, her anxiety spiking with every creak of the old house. She knew that a visit from a CPS worker was imminent, and she was determined to do everything in her power to prepare. The problem was, Gerald had other plans. As she stood in the kitchen, Ashley surveyed the chaos around her. Dirty dishes piled up in the sink, and the trash was overflowing. The kids were running wild, their homework scattered all over the table. Ashley's eyes landed on Gerald, who was sitting on the couch, a beer in his hand. The air was thick with the smell of stale cigarettes and yesterday's Chinese takeout. The doorbell rang, and Ashley's heart skipped a beat. She knew it was the CPS worker. Gerald got up from the couch, his eyes narrowing as he made his way to the door. Ashley tried to intervene, but he pushed her aside. "Let me handle this," he growled, his breath reeking of alcohol. Ashley watched as Gerald opened the door to reveal a middle-aged woman with a kind face and a notepad in her hand. "Hi, I'm Karen from CPS," she said, her eyes scanning the messy room. "I'm here to speak with you and your family about some concerns that have been raised." Gerald's expression darkened, but he stepped aside to let Karen in. Ashley took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. She knew that she had to make a good impression, but it was hard to do with the house in shambles and the kids running wild. Karen's eyes landed on the beer in Gerald's hand, and her expression turned skeptical. "Can I speak with you in private for a minute?" she asked Gerald, her voice firm. Gerald hesitated, but eventually handed the beer to Ashley and followed Karen into the living room. Ashley watched as they spoke in hushed tones, her anxiety spiking with every passing minute. Meanwhile, the kids were getting restless. Ashley tried to corral them, but it was like herding cats. She was about to give birth, and the last thing she wanted to do was clean the house and feed the kids. But she knew she had to try. As she started to clean up the kitchen, Ashley's back started to ache. She was eight months pregnant, and her body was screaming for rest. But she persevered, trying to make the house look presentable. Karen emerged from the living room, her eyes scanning the room. "I'm going to need to speak with each of your children individually," she said, her voice firm. "And I'd like to see the kitchen and the bedrooms." Ashley's heart sank. She knew that Gerald's alcoholism and her own situation would be evident to Karen. But she tried to stay calm, knowing that she had to protect her children. As Karen began her investigation, Ashley tried to keep the kids fed and bathed. She herded them into the bathroom, trying to get them cleaned up before Karen saw them. But it was a losing battle. The house was a mess, and Ashley was exhausted. As the visit dragged on, Ashley's anxiety spiked. She knew that Karen had seen the worst of their situation, and she had no idea what would happen next. Would CPS take her children away? Or would they try to help her? As Karen finished up her visit and prepared to leave, Ashley felt a sense of trepidation. She knew that her life was about to change, but she had no idea how. All she could do was hope that Karen would be able to help her and her children escape from Gerald's grasp.